Cox's Mill

Straw's Mill was four miles south of Gatesville on the Leon River in east central Coryell County. It was first known as Cox's Mill, for Joe Cox, who had a water-powered corn mill. It was renamed for Henry Straw and his sons, George Warren and Charles H., who moved from New Hampshire and settled on the Leon River in 1870. The family operated a flour mill, gin, store, and blacksmith shop. George Warren Straw, a Republican, was first postmaster in 1886; during the Grover Cleveland administration the office moved across the river to Democrat Richard A. Culp's store and continued to move back and forth with changes of administration until the post office was discontinued in 1908. At that time local mail was sent to Gatesville. The Straw's Mill community reported a population of 110 in 1900. The old mill was washed away in 1908 by a flood on the Leon River. During World War II the Straw estate was included in the North Camp section of the Fort Hood military reservation.